Come, Mommy

Last night at dinner I was trying to get Liam to chew with his mouth closed. He just didn’t want to, he didn’t see the point of such social niceties, and he told me so – “But I don’t want to, Mommy!” End of discussion, he clearly meant.

I asked him if he chews with his mouth closed at school:

Liam: “Well, actually, yes, Mommy. And I keep my napkin in my lap. And I don’t interrupt my friends’ stories.”

Me: “Wow! You really know your good manners. Why do you use good manners at school but not at home?”"

Liam (sounding like a teenager): “Well, Mom, because Mrs. C. tells us we have to bring our good manners to the table.”

(Well, d’uh, Mom!)

Me (teasing): “So you never chew with your mouth open at school?”

Liam: “Weeeellllllllllll….it’s tiring to use good manners all the time, so sometimes when she isn’t looking I do leave my mouth open….”

Me (remembering back to the days of my mother’s table manner lectures): “There are a lot of rules to remember. And it is hard to remember them all. I guess probably everybody ignores the rules sometimes.”

Liam (looking relieved): “Actually, I think you’re right. But you won’t tell Mrs. C. what I told you, will you?”

Me: “Nope. It’s our secret.”

I think I need to remind myself more often that there are an awful lot of things being processed and learned by that little boy’s not-quite-5-years-old brain. My brain just needs to give him a bit of a break.